Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
follows the canal, at times surrounded by nothing but thick vine-strewn jungle. If you
want to relive the heyday of luxury train travel for an hour or two, this is definitely the
way to do it.
Note that the Panama City terminus is actually located in the town of Corazal, a
15-minute cab ride from the capital.
Getting Around
While in Colón, it's not a good idea to walk around unknown neighborhoods. For-
tunately, taxis congregate at the bus terminal, train station and the Zone Libre, and fares
across the city are usually under US$2.
A round-trip taxi for two costs around US$60 to Fuerte San Lorenzo and US$30 to
Gatun Locks.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Around Colón
Sights
Canal Expansion Observation Center
LOOKOUT
(Centro de Observación de la Ampliación del Canal; 276-8325;
www.micanaldepanama.com
;
adult/child US$15/10; 8:30am-3:30pm)
Still a work-in-progress, this new and pricey ob-
servation center offers an exclusive view of the Panama Canal expansion, slated to be
completed in 2015. Visits take slightly over an hour. Covered decks view Lago Gatún
and the locks; there is also a theater with videos in English, exhibits, a cafe and gift shop.
A short rainforest trail has sloths and monkeys.
The turnoff for the new observation center is just past the railroad tracks, to the left;
for the locks, continue straight at the turnoff. The center is accessible to travelers with
disabilities.
Gatún Locks
CANAL
(adult/child US$5/free; 8am-4pm)
The Gatún Locks, just 10km south of Colón city, raise
southbound ships 29.5m from Caribbean waters to the level of Lago Gatún. From there
the ships travel 37km to the Pedro Miguel Locks, which lower southbound ships 9.3m to
Lago Miraflores, a small body of water that separates the two sets of Pacific locks. The
ships are then lowered to sea level at the Miraflores Locks.
